Feed-mixer.



G. H. HINKHOUSE.

FEED MIXER. v APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1910.

976,363. Patented Nov. 22, 1910;

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4Y6, I I7 6 5 2 3g THE NORR O. H. HINKHOUSE. FEED MIXER. APPLIQJATION FILED MAR. 23, 1910. v

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

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CHARLES H. HINKHOUSE, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

FEED-MIXER.

Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

Serial No. 551,16.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. I'IINK- I-IoUsn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented new and useful Improvements in Feed-Mixers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in feed mixers, the object thereof being to provide a device of this type in which the feed may be thoroughly mixed with ease and facility, requiring no manual intervention other than regards introduction of the ingredients in the apparatus.

'process of being mixed is maintained in a heated condition, and whereby steam is used to assist in not only raising the temperature of the feed, but to also assist in effecting thorough mixing of the ingredients.

In the drawings :Figure l is a side elevation of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention, Fig. 2 is a top plan view showing the cylinder or tub cover removed, the cylinder or tub being partly in section, Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on line 1-4 of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the right hand end of the ap$aratus, Fig. 6 is a detail view, showing two of the mixing blades in side elevation, and Fig. 7 is a front elevation of one of the blades.

The invention includes end supporting members of inverted V-shape, the legs 1 of which rest on the floor or other supporting surface. A connecting plate or platform 2, of the form depicted in the drawings, is bolted as at 3 to the legs 1 of the supporting members, whereby the latter are braced and also a support is formed for the parts now to be referred to.

The platform 2, which has a horizontal disposition, has bolted to its upper face vor tical standards 4 and 5, the latter supporting the steamchest 6, which is bolted thereto, as illustrated in the drawings. The sides and ends of the steam chest 6 are provided with marginal outwardly extending flanges T, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 of the drawings.

The cylinder or tub member 8 is likewise provided with marginal outwardly extending flanges at its lower or bottom end as at 7, the flanges 7 and 7 conformably engaging each other and being bolted together as at 8. It will thus be observed that a secure relationship between the steam chest and the cylinder or tub is established. The cylinder or tub is provided with a cover or top 13, which may be removed for purposes of permitting access to the interior of the cylinder or tub to allow of repair, cleansing, or any other purpose which may arise. It will be observed that the cover 13 is of less length than that of the cylinder, or in other words, the cylinder has one end thereof cut away for a considerable length to accommodate the cover 13, while the opposite end is not so cut.

The cylinder 8 is provided with outwardly extending side flanges 9, which are adapted to engage similar flanges let, carried by the cover 13, bolts-14E being employed to rigidly unite the parts. It will be seen that the inner end of cover 13, closely abuts the uncut end of the cylinder 8 and forms a tight joint therewith.

Shaft bearings 16 and 17 are secured to the upper ends of the standards 1, and supported in these shaft bearings is the pair of parallel shafts 15, which extend throughout the space between the members 1. A vertical shaft bearing 23 providing a foot 27 is bolted to the platform 2 and extends upwardly at one end of the device, so as to be disposed between the shafts 15, there being a short shaft 24 which is journaled in shaft bearing 23 at one end and at its opposite end in the shaft bearing 17. Pinions 28 and 29 are keyed to shaft 21, and the latter is driven by means of a drive wheel 30, which latter, as is well understood, is adapted for connection with some suitable belt or other driving means. Large gears 20 and 26 are keyed to the shafts 15, and mesh with pinions 28 and 24 respectively. It will further be observed that the right hand end of the cylinder or tub is provided with integral outwardly extending shaft bearings 22 and 21, through which the shafts 15 pass, it being thus observed that a more perfect bearing for the shaft is provided due to the weight of the gears 20 and 26 at this end of the shafts.

On the shafts 15 there are arranged a series of beater, mixer, or agitator blades,each

r of a disk 41, bolted to the left consisting of a hub portion 18 provided with a square opening 17, to engage over the square portions 30 of the shafts 15. Each hub is provided with an outwardly extending blade 16, the blades being arranged at an angle to the shafts 15. It will be observed from an inspection of the drawings, that the blades are mounted so that a blade of one shaft engages between two blades of the adjacent shaft. It will further be seen that the blades of one shaft rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the other shaft.

The uncut end of the tub 8 is formed with an inlet 12 into which the feed ingredients are introduced. The steam chest 6 has secured therein a coil of pipe 31, the latter extending throughout the area of the steam chest and being disposed in juxtaposition to the bottom of the tub as seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings. One end of the pipe extends beyond the steam chest and is provided with a vertical section of pipe, the upper end of which carries an elbow 32, equipped with a suitable hand controlled valve 40, shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the pipe discharging molasses into the tub or cylinder, which is a desideratum in the mixing of feed as is well known. By proper manipulation of the hand valve 40, the quantity of molasses admitted to the tub may be governed in an obvious manner.

The outlet for the mixed feed is composed hand end of the tub and cover, and having a frustoconical discharge end. The steam chest 6 is further provided with openings 6 in its sides, for the purpose of supplying steam to the steam chest.

In operation it will be observed that the feed ingredients are introduced through the inlet 12, whereupon mot-ion is imparted to the drive wheel 30, thus rotating the blades, and effecting mixing of the ingredients. The molasses passing through the coil 31, has its temperature raised by the steam in the steam chest 6, the steam effectually heating the bottom of the tub or cylinder, and consequently the material on the interior thereof. The molasses enters the coil 31 by means of the inlet pipe 6 shown in Fig. 5, being fed to the latter either by gravity pressure, or by some other means, such as a pump.

What is claimed is:

1. In a feed mixer, the combination of a tub having a feed inlet opening at one end and a discharge opening at the other end, a steam chest arranged directly beneath the bottom of said tub and substantially coextensive in length therewith, to maintain the contents of the tub in a heated state, a

molasses coil located within said chest for subjection to the action of the steam, said coil having an extension leading into said tub to discharge the heated molasses thereinto, agitating mechanism located in said tub for mixing the feed and molasses and for advancing the mixture toward said discharge opening, and means for driving said mechanism.

2. A feed mixer composed of end supporting members, a horizontal platform connected to said members, standards mounted on the platform, a steam chest secured to the standards, a tub secured to the steam chest, shafts extending through the tub and having their ends supported by the said supporting members, beaters on the shafts, a gear wheel keyed to each shaft, a vertical shaft bearing secured to the platform, a short shaft having one end journaled in the vertical bearing and its opposite end in the adjacent end supporting member, a drive wheel on said short shaft, and pinions carried by the short shaft and meshing with the said gear wheels.

3. A feed mixer composed of end supporting members, a horizontal platform connected to said members, standards mounted on the platform, a steam chest having marginal outwardly extending flanges, a tub having marginal outwardly extending flanges conformably engaging said flanges of the steam chest and being bolted thereto, said tub being cut-away at one end on its upper side and formed with outwardly extending flanges at the termination of the cutaway portions thereof, a cover having outwardly extending flanges conformably engaging said last named flanges of the tub, an inlet formed in the uncut end of the tub, beating means in the tub and a discharge mimber bolted to the opposite end of the tu 4. A feed mixer composed of end supporting mumbers, a horizontal platform connected to said members, a steam chest supported from said platform, a tub supported from the steam chest, a shaft having a bearing in each of said members and extending through the tub, beaters carried on the shaft, and means to operate the shaft, said tub being formed with an inlet at one end and with an outlet at its opposite end, the'latter being spaced from the adjacent member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit nesses.

CHARLES H. HINKHOUSE.

Witnesses J. HUFFMAN, GUY Cox. 

